Re: Meowy Catmas Eve!

on Christmas eve there was no boat from Muang Khua going south to Nong Khiaw, so detoured by bus via Pak Nam Noi & Oudomxai. ended up stuck in Pak Mong for that night as no more onward transport to Nong Khiaw....but made new friends along e way, who helped e cat to find a place to koon. so reached Nong Khiaw a day late =|

 

power supply + phone lines to Nong Khiaw were cut off e next day, so Christmas dinner (& cooking & laundry & bathing) was by candlelight + torchlight. Nong Khiaw is amazingly beautiful, a pity (or a blessing?) that most tourists simply zip through.

 

then e cat was off to Luang Prabang, where it is right now. net access & phone networks didn't work (earthquake in Taiwan?), only thing was able to send out were postcards ;) wonderful world heritage city, though tourism is turning it into a zoo....

 

an hour after arriving e cat was stopped by Wat Ho Xieng monks wanting to practise their English, & a few hours later it found itself teaching half of an English night class at e invitation of a 20-y/o monk. & today it taught another English night class to university students at e invitation of a guesthouse staff who turned out to be a part-time English teacher. really fun interacting with e locals of e city =) apparently quite successful at passing off as one of them too, which they say makes e cat less intimidating to approach for English conversation practice (as compared to Caucasian tourists). great for avoiding hawkers & tuktuk drivers too ;)

 

on 30th will leave by slow boat for Huay Xai, a 2-day journey with a night in Pak Beng.

Re: 171206 Chiangmai - Chiangrai - Chiang Khong

Hi everyone,

 

Not sure if everyone received the sms, but e cat is now in Luang Namtha after a 7.5-hr bus ride and will be proceeding to Muang Sing tomorrow...

 

Cheers

supergarf
 

171206 Chiangmai - Chiangrai - Chiang Khong

1 plane ride + 3 bus rides + 1 tuktuk ride later....e cat is alive in Chiang Khong =)

survived e Singapore-Chiangmai flight full of sing-gar-poh lang2, got rid of a pushy songthaew driver who wanted to charge e cat 80 baht from e airport to e Arcade bus station, missed 2 #6 public buses that refused to stop, took e #11 public bus for 15 baht instead & had a pleasant half hour tour of e old city with e whole air con bus to e cat + driver + conductor + a monk....=)

e green public intercity buses departing from Chiangmai have fixed numbered seating, even for e non-AC 'ordinary' buses, which resulted in a lot of climbing about in e aisle that even e cat finds too narrow....had some Lahus + papa smurfs (no idea what red berets mean in e Thai army though) + monks for company on e ride to Chiang Khong. met some really wonderful people along e way....airport security guard, bus driver, conductors, fellow solo backpackers, tuktuk driver (so different from those in Bangkok)....

e Chiangrai-Chiang Khong bus had a (sturdy) wooden floor & e road between Phaya Mengrai & Chiang Khong was paved but super potholed. on e way to Chiangrai from Chiangmai, a big fat truck was lying on its side in a ditch - can't imagine any way of removing it other than hacking into pieces. waiting to see what kinda conditions Lao vehicles & unsealed roads will throw up....

Ban Tammila Guesthouse is right by e Mekong river with Huay Xai (Lao) directly opposite. will cross over to that side tomorrow morning =)

where is e cat?

[171206-181206] + [010107-070107]:



[181206-010107]:

embassy info

Singapore Embassy in Lao PDR
Tel: +856-21-416-860, 412-477
Fax: +856-21-416-855
Ban Naxay, Unit 12, Nong Bon Road, Saysettha district, Vientiane
singemb_vte@sgmfa.gov.sg

Lao PDR Embassy in Singapore
Tel: +65-62506044, 62506741
Fax: +65-62506014
101 Thomson Road #05-03A United Square Singapore 307591

from MFA website:

If you lose your Singapore Passport while travelling overseas, you should report the loss to the nearest Singapore overseas mission. The overseas mission can assist you in obtaining a Document of Identity to facilitate your return to Singapore.

Here is what you need to do:

• Make a police report (request for a copy of the report. If not possible, request for an acknowledgement slip or receipt. If none of the articles can be given to you, please ask for the report number and note down the name/location of the police station.)
  
• Contact the nearest Singapore overseas mission. You will need to furnish the following documents:
  - the local police report;
  - documentary proof of Singapore citizenship (eg. identity card);
  - 2 passport-sized photographs.
  
• Apply for a replacement passport personally at ICA upon your return to Singapore.